Classification 65: Espionage
This is one of the oldest FBI classifications, established before 1924. The FBI uses this classification for investigations of individuals alleged to have unlawfully obtained information affecting national defense or unlawfully disclosed such information to a foreign government. Classification 65 remained relatively inactive until the World War II period. Between 1939 and 1945, it became extremely active-the bulk of the cases opened at Headquarters date from this period. Most of the cases opened during the World War II era did not deal with espionage but with individuals suspected of Axis sympathies. However, Classification 65 was used for the Bureau's major World War II espionage investigations which concentrated on Axis operatives. After the war, the FBI shifted its emphasis in these investigations to those suspected of acting on behalf of Eastern Bloc nations, particularly the Soviet Union. Since the 1970s, Classification 65 also has been used for investigations of the unauthorized disclosure of security classified information.
NARA online catalog descriptions of holdings for 65: Espionage
|Record Group||NARA Identifier||Series Title|
|65||565806||Classification 65 (Espionage) Released Under The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Acts|
Some records under Classification 65: Espionage are not yet described in NARA's online catalog. Please contact NARA's Special Access Program at specialaccess_FOIA@nara.gov with your reference request.